Device for removal of tar and other deleterious substances from tobacco smoke



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Oct. 4, 1960 H. A. LEBERT DEVICE FOR REMOVAL OF TAR AND OTHER DELETEZRIOUS SUBSTANCES FROM TOBACCO SMOKE Filed Dec. 23, 1957 Erg. 5

l2 /8 /7 /4 /6 /3 23 A; r ll/ A DEVICE FOR REMOVAL OF TAR AND OTHER g lir r l umous SUBSTANCES FROM TOBACCO Herbert A. Lebert, Millbrae, Calif, assignor to Mac- Farland, Aveyard & Company, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 704,408 '1 Claim. 01. 131-187) problem because of their known harmful effects to health.

Screens and orifice-equipped disks have been proposed, the effective opening for the flow of smoke being quite minute, but while some tar is removed in the operation of such devices, a satisfying flow of smokeis not obtained. 1 Furthermore, a sufiicient proportion of the tars are not removed. I

?atented Oct. 4, 1960 too large, the velocity of the smoke passing through the device is reduced in a manner whereby the percentage of tar separation is materially reduced. If the gap between the orifice and the barrier is too great or too small the percentage of tar separation or the rate of tar flow is adversely effected. In this respect, the impingement barrier is almost in contact with the orifice with there being just enough clearance to allow the formed relatively viscous tar to flow out of the path of the tar subsequently formed. There is no expansion space or condensing surface as in the above patents required here for tar separation from the smoke.

By using an orifice with a .028 to .030" diameter and a distance between the impingement barrier and the orifice of to ,4 the best results are obtainable. In other words, by constructing a device incorporating the above dimentional range, the smoker may have a The present structure or tar filter device fundamen- A tally differs from previous types of tar filter devices by obtaining tar separation by means of providing a structure adapted to cause tar separation by impingement of high velocity tar ladened smoke against an impingement barrier. Tests tend to indicate the present new technique is far more effective than any previously known tar filtering device in effectively removing tars and especially the more dangerous high temperature tars from tobacco smoke while at the same time enabling the smoker to The number of cancers inhigh temperature tars are presently being inhaled by the cigarette smokers. (See Time magazine, April 22, 1957, page 50.)

. Early experiments indicate that where the velocity expansion cooling principle is used to obtain tar separation,

a relatively low percentage of the high temperature tars are separated out of the smoke as opposed to the use of the instant relationship involving high velocity tobacco smoke impingement without expansion wherein a relatively high percentage of high temperature tars are separated.

In the application of this new technique, manufacturing advantages are present since structures of this type are far more compact than those using the velocityexpansion principle where a relatively large chamber is required for condensing the smoke.

It has been found that there is a practical dimensional L range with regard to the size of the orifice and its distance from the barrier. If the orifice is too small the smoker is inconvenienced through his dilficulty in drawing the smoke through the device, and if the orifice is more pleasurable easy draw smoke with the high percentage removal of the tars including the more dangerous high temperature tar. Early tests of structures utilizing this principle tend to indicate that at least 40% of the tars may be removed. This 40% represents nearly of the high temperature tars while the low temperature aromatic fractions or tars are passed on to the smoker.

Accordingly, a very important object of the present invention is to provide means for the tar removal from tobacco smoke through the use of an impingement barrier employed at a spaced and elfective distance from a Venturi orifice or a small orifice which causes the smoke to flow at a sufiicient velocity to cause separation of the tar as the smoke strikes the impingement barrier.

'Another object of this invention is to provide a multipart cigarette structure having novel means for separating tars including a high percentage of high temperature tars from tobacco smoke while at the same time allowing the smoke to be drawn through the cigarette holder without great difficulty enabling a smoker to obtain a pleasurable smoke without the danger attendant with the drawing of the high temperature tars into the body and lungs of the smoker.

Another object of this invention is to provide a multipart cigarette holder structure which is easy to clean by readily separating the parts, and which structure may be manufactured on a large production basis at an economical cost.

A further object of this invention is to provide a thermoplastic insert having new and improved structure for separating tars from tobacco smoke which insert is adapted for use in a tobacco burning smoking structure.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a highly compact structure for separating the tar from tobacco smoke.

Other objects and features of the present invention will more fully become apparent in view of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating therein a single embodiment, and in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of a mult-i-part cigarette holder structure carrying a cigarette and which holder structure has tar separation structure according to the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged exploded view of the multi-part cigarette holder structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line III--III on Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line IV--IV on Figure 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and I Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 3.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates generally my mu1ti-part cigarette holder and filter struc- "tifle yvhich supports a (iigalette llat one end flireof. The structure 10 includes a mouthpiece 12, an insert filter structure 13, and a tube or sleeve 14. The mouthpiece, the insert cap 1 3, and the sleeve 14 may he made from any suitable materials although-I have found that excellent results may be attained through the manufacture of the mouthpiece 12 and .the'fi-lter insert 13 from a suitable plastic, such as thermo-plastic, asuitable composition material, or any suitable material. The outer sleeve or tube "14 may be manufactured from metal or from plastics, or any other suitable material.

The mouthpiece 12 .has a longitudinal passageway 15 extending the length of themouthpiece 12 and has an end portion adjacent'to the filter insert 13 which has'a reduced diametered peripheral surface 16 and an annular shoulder 17 disposed at the junction of the reduced peripheral surface 16 with an enlarged diametered mouthpiece area indicated generally at 18. When the components of the multi-part holder structure are in assembly together the sleeve or tube 14 .is telescoped over the outer peripheral reduced diametered surface 16 in frictionalengagement therein with an end 14a abutted against the annul shoulder 17. I

The filter insert 13 includes -a main closure area or portion 19 which closure portion has an external peripheral surface 20 (Figure in frictional engagement with the sleeve or tube 14 and with the tube 14 operating to conceal the insert 13 in the assembly of thecomponents of the multi-part cigarette holder. Located centrally of the closure portion 19 is a longitudinal passageway 21 including a downstream orifice 21a. Theclosure portion 19 is concavely dished as indicated at 22 with the bottom of the dish being centered upon the longitudinal passageway 21 with the dished area 22 defining a smoke collection center to aid in smoke being drawn through the passageway 21 at a high velocity.

As is indicated at 23, an annular shoulder is provided which shoulder is adapted to abut against the butt end of the cigarette 11 to maintain the butt end in longitudinally spaced relation with respect to the passageway 21 so that smoke may be moved unimpeded through the chamber and then through the passageway 21 at a high velocity. Downstream of the closure portion 19 and connected thereto is an annular ring-like or sleeve portion designated generally at 24 which ring-like portion has an outside diameter smaller than the diameter of the peripheral surface 20 of the closure portion 19.

The mouthpiece 12 has an enlarged internal bore at its end adjacent to the filter insert 13'providing'an area having a larger diameter than the passageway 15 to provide storage space for accumulated tars from say a pack of cigarettes and threads 25 are provided on the enlarged internally bored larger diameter area and at the periphery of the sleeve 24 for retaining by engaging and securing together the ring-like port-ion 24 with the mouthpiece 12.

The ring-like portion 24 has an internal recess or pocket 26 which has an outside diameter corresponding to the diameter of the passageway 15 and which pocket or recess is in longitudinal or axial alignment therewith, in communication with the passageway 21 in the closure portion 19. Extending transversely of the recess 26 and the cap and mouthpiece is an impingement barrier 27. This impingement barrier '27 is spaced longitudinally or axially downstream of the passageway 21 in axially spaced relationship with respect thereto. The impingement barrier 27 further extends transversely or radially across the orifice 21a in axially spaced relation with respect thereto. The impingement barrier 27 is connected at its bottom end with the ring-like portion 24 and is spaced at its upper end from a corresponding portion of the ring-like portion 24 by means of an arcuate slot 28 (Figure 4). The slot 28 provides a hole through the barrier 27 which links the passageways 15 and 21 to al- 4 low smoke to pass through the multi-part cigarette holder '10.

The area or recess between the spaced impingement barrier 27 and closure portion 19 constitutes a sump or tar collecting receptacle indicated at 29 in which tar T is collected (Figure 5). As neW't'ar is formed the old will flow into theenlarg'ed storage space 15. The 'tarmay be removed note the sump and the 's torage.s'pacej( '1'5 enlarged) by removing the cap 13 and the tube '14 from the mouthpiece 11. This may be broughtabout by pulling the tube '14 away from the mouthpiece 11 and removing the cap.

As heretofore stated, the problem presented has been one of providing adherent 's'iiioke new to satisfy the.

smoker While at the same time removing the deleterious tars T, etc. In the structure of the present invention, this result is achieved by employing an impingement bar? 'rier in combination with an orifice which greatly increases the velocity of the smokestream so that when the stream strikes the barrier, the tar T is lodged and collected upon the peripheral surface of theb'arrier and in-the sump and the resulting purified smoke alters its course through the passageway 29 and passes on to the smoker through the mouthpiece. While there will be variations in the size of the orifice, and in the 'spacifig' of the barrier from the outlet of the orifice, dependiiig upon the character of the smoke, the derisity-of-'-"the cigarette mass, etc., I find that in general effective results are obtained where the orifice diameter is from .025 to .038 (square inch areas of .0005

to .001). Very "satisfactory results have been obtained where the orifice diameter was .028 to .032 (.0006 to .0008 square inch). As a. preferred example, I have employed effectively an orifice having a diameter of 0.030 (.0007 square inch), which gives excellent tar removal and ease of drawing.

The critical orifice size is correlated with the impingement barrier which is located as close as possible to the orifice or Venturi outlet consistent with the free flowing of the collected tars; -e."g., without "impairing the flowing of the tar away from-the point of impingement. In practice, I have found that a satisfactory "range is adistance oi /5, to A of an inch, or about .030 to .187 of an inch. A still more satisfactory range lies between 2 to A A preferred distance is .030 inch. In the 'specific'exa'rnple referred to, the barrier is spaced from the orifice outlet by of an inch (.031 inch), or approximately the orifice diameter.

The operation resulting from the structure shown herein is in contrast to the operation of cooling devices heretofore employed with cigarettes. Such cooling devices bring about a peripheral cooling of the smoke but allow substantial core portions of the tar's to pass on to the smoker. In my structure, the entire cross section of the smoke. stream is subject to the action of the impingement barrier so that the tars and other harmful particles are removed by the foregoing high velocity impingement action upon the barrier.

The barrier may be a solid barrier, as here illustrated, or a material which forms a relatively dense media compared to air such as a conventional cellulose filter tip as used on 'cigarettes,'wad0f cotton, absorbent paper, and

similar substances. The slight spacing between the outlet of the orifice and the barrier enables the smoke stream to reach the barrier with substantially undiminished speed,

while at the same time enabling the purified smoke to 5 ing degrees of density. By spacing the barrier close to the outlet of the orifice, the attained high velocity is eifective in lodging the tar fractions directly upon the barrier Wall where an impervious barrier is employed, and further, such high velocity is effective, in the case of the solid barrier Wall, in moving the viscous tar along the barrier face to an unobstructing position in the sump or reservoir space. The space between orifice outlet and impingement barrier may be from 0.01 to 0.187. In the preferred structure, the spacing is about .030".

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be efiected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

A holder for smokable articles and constructed for removal of tar and other deleterious substances from tobacco smoke, the holder comprising an elongated mouthpiece having a passage therethrough which is substantially enlarged throughout a substantial length thereof in the forward end portion of the mouthpiece to provide a tar collecting sump chamber, a filter insert unit providing a closure-for the front end of said chamber, said closure having a single orifice therethrough providing a smoke accelerating cross-sectional flow area of .0005 to .001 square inch, the filter unit having downstream from said orifice an impingement barrier spaced about .030 to .187 inch from the downstream end of the orifice, an opening through said barrier offset radially relative to said orifice and providing a passageway for smoke and for tars collected on the barrier to move downstream past the barrier, means detachably connecting the filter unit with the forward end of the mouthpiece so that tars passing the barrier through said opening will collect in said chamber, and means projecting forwardly from the filter unit and defining a socket for reception of the butt end portion of a smokable article, said filter unit being removable from the mouthpiece for removal of accumulated tars in said chamber and on said barrier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 256,033 Naughten Apr. 4, 1882 925,381 Regenold June 15, 1909 1,594,606 Olivio Aug. 3, 1926 1,890,920 Strawn Dec. 13, 1932 2,202,288 Heron May 28, 1940 2,385,651 Ricketts Sept. 25, 1945 2,387,381 Zuckermann Oct. 23, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 146 Great Britain of 1880 

